


At Camelot Weihnachtsmarkt

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-28
Updated: 2014-11-28
Packaged: 2018-02-27 07:36:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2684597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur makes Merlin try Glühwein at the German Christmas market that came to Camelot. Merlin's not impressed and generally cranky because the evening doesn't go at all as he had hoped for. But then he's in for a surprise or two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Camelot Weihnachtsmarkt

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merlocked18](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlocked18/gifts).



> Guilty as charged, I made Merls draw. And then she challenged me to write.
> 
> So this is the partnerpiece to [At Camelot Weihnachtsmarkt](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2681462) by the lovely Merls. 
> 
> It's not betaed as it was just there when I woke up and I needed to write it down asap. Any typos are up for adoption. Come on, look at them, aren't they cute? And it's close to Christmas, they need good homes ;) 
> 
> Hope you like it, Merls!

Merlin had been so excited about the German Christmas market coming to town. Arthur had told him so much about the advent time in Germany (from his time when he studied in Heidelberg and stayed with one of his father’s posh business friends’ family for half a year) and how nice all those little huts were with their warmly glowing lights and the smells of different foods and drinks coming from everywhere, making your mouth water. 

But now he had an overload of kitschy stuff and so many different smells attacking his nose that he just wanted to go home. On top of it, he had cold feet and the cold was slowly crawling through his old tattered coat and what was the worst: He wanted a gingerbread heart so bad and made eyes at Arthur each time they passed a hut where they sold them, but Arthur had ignored his subtle hints.

“’m cold,” he murmured, looking longingly at Arthur’s furry coat. When they first met, Arthur’s coat would have been made of real fur, but at least that was one good deed Merlin had done, talking Arthur out of wearing real fur. The fake fur he was wearing now looked so real now that Merlin was sure it cost at least as much as the real deal. 

Instead of letting him dig his hands into the fur and letting him rub his face against the fluffy lining of the collar, Arthur nodded. “You need a Glühwein!”

Merlin made a face. “You know I don’t like mulled wine.”

“This is nothing like the stuff you know. Real German Glühwein is made from wine from the Palatinate, a dash of spices…really, Merlin, you have to try!”

Before Merlin could object, Arthur had bought a mug of the dark red liquid and Merlin wrapped his hands around it, trying to get warm. When Arthur looked expectantly at him, he obediently took a sip, almost burning his lower lip in the process. 

Ewww, that was…yuck. It was what Arthur had promised. Dark red wine, hot, some spices. Definitely something Merlin wouldn’t touch again. 

Arthur’s face fell. “You don’t like it.”

“Not really. But at least it’s warm?” Merlin held out the mug to Arthur, who took a sip.

“But it’s made from really good wine and…I don’t know…you’ve got a weird taste, Merlin.” Arthur downed half of the Glühwein and handed the mug back. “Here, try again.”

Carefully, Merlin sipped the rest of the Glühwein, not happy about it, but at least it left a warm feeling in his stomach. Maybe he could talk Arthur into getting some cotton candy so he could get rid of the taste later?

Then he noticed that Arthur gave him strange looks. “What?” Frantically, he wiped on his lip with his gloved hand. Had the evil drink left red traces on his face?

“Come on, let’s go to the car, I forgot something.” He dragged Merlin along through the masses of people pushing into the area. 

For a fleeting moment, Merlin hoped they would go home now, so he could sit on the heating for the rest of the evening, trying to get warm again. This evening didn’t work as planned. He’d hoped that Arthur would come in after he brought him home and they could talk and maybe cuddle on the couch and exchange some kisses and maybe Arthur would finally see that…but no, here he was, frozen to the core, having to taste weird drinks and not even getting a gingerbread heart. 

“Actually, I only wanted to give that to you for Christmas, but I can’t let my boyfriend get frozen until then.” Arthur pulled a shopping bag out of the trunk. A very expensive-looking shopping bag, but that hardly registered with Merlin. Had Arthur just said the b-word?

“Oh, who is he? Do I know him?” They had known each other for five years and only lately, Arthur had opened up to the idea of cuddling while watching movies together and the occasional smooch on the cheek. It had never occurred to Merlin that Arthur might have someone else. 

Arthur pulled a winter coat out of the bag. “You’re an idiot, Merlin.” He held the coat ([The first one](http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.herrenausstatter.de%2Fpimages%2F195%2F195899_300.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.herrenausstatter.de%2Fherrenmode%2Fherren-jacke.htm&h=312&w=300&tbnid=5nj9e2YrKn1WVM%3A&zoom=1&docid=7692NuMn9LWPCM&ei=zkt4VNrEDobcywOe7oG4DQ&tbm=isch&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=353&page=9&start=307&ndsp=37&ved=0CHIQrQMwJDisAg)) out to Merlin and waited.

“You’re getting me a …I’m your boyfriend?” Merlin couldn’t move.

“Do you really think I’d go through all the shopping for anyone else? Come on, try it.”

The way Arthur just casually called him his boyfriend put a huge smile on Merlin’s face. It was exactly what he had hoped for and all of a sudden, his cold feet and frozen butt weren’t so important anymore. He shed his old coat anyway, reached for the new one and paled when he saw the designer label. “Arthur…that’s way too expensive, I can’t…”

“Try it on. I don’t want to pay someone to make you tea for weeks if you catch a cold standing here in just your old jumper.”

Merlin slipped into the jacket and sighed. Even though it had been in the car for a while, he felt a lot warmer already and when he zipped it up, it fit perfectly. 

Arthur reached over and plucked at the collar until it looked right. “So? What do you think?”

“I…I don’t know what to say.”

“’Thank you, Arthur’, would be a good start. And how about ‘I’d love to be your boyfriend, Arthur.’?” 

Even though Arthur played it all cool, Merlin could see the uncertainty and fear in his eyes. A wide smile spread across his face. “There’s no need for trying to buy me, you know?”

“Was that a yes?” Arthur reached out and pulled Merlin close with a hand in his neck. 

Merlin nodded. “Yes.” He leaned in and kissed Arthur softly. 

When they pulled back a while later, Arthur grinned. “And tomorrow we’ll go get you some new shirts and pants. Oh, and some decent shoes.” He held on to Merlin’s hand and started to walk back into the direction of the Christmas market.

Merlin frowned and stopped. “Arthur…I…if my stuff is not good enough for you, I don’t think I can…”

Laughing, Arthur turned. “It’s good enough for me any day. I don’t care if you wear your plaid shirts until the buttons falls off or your elbows shine through. But I really don’t think father would appreciate your horrible Christmas jumper at dinner on Christmas Eve.”

“Oy! There’s nothing wrong with a drunken polar bear under a sparkling Christmas tree!” ([something like this](http://lh6.ggpht.com/-tY5wzpxL7jY/VCW8hLjoOXI/AAAAAAABEkk/W4vIEoRo6lc/Primark%25252520Light%25252520Up%25252520Christmas%25252520Tree%25252520Jumper_thumb%2525255B2%2525255D.jpg%3Fimgmax%3D800))

“Not for “Gwen’s Great Gristmas Get-together” but definitely when meeting my father. Please, Merlin.”

So Arthur meant it. He wanted him to leave a good impression with his father, so Mr. Pendragon approved of him. A slow blush spread on Merlin’s cheeks and he nodded. “Alright. But be prepared to get one of those jumpers at my mam’s house on Christmas Day.”

“Can’t wait.” Arthur stole another kiss before he pulled Merlin towards the Christmas market again. 

“Where are we going now?” 

“I saw a little hut where they put the words on the gingerbread hearts, the words you want, not the pre-done stuff.”

“Arthur?”

“I couldn’t find one that said ‘My idiot’.”

Merlin grinned. “Then we need to get one that says ‘My prat’, too!”

Arthur laughed and Merlin snuggled into the fake fur on the collar of his brand new winter coat as he followed, his hand firmly in Arthur’s warm grip, beaming like a loon.

Now with sequel ;) [Four weeks later](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2689298)


End file.
